Presentation at 2018 Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference in Plymouth, MA

1. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Deneen Simpson, MassDEP EJ Director
Danah Tench, Esq., Deputy General Counsel
Sustainability Conference – Plymouth, MA
April 27, 2018
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2. TODAY’S PRESENTATION
 What is Environmental Justice?
 Overview of Environmental Justice at MassDEP
 Environmental Justice and Sustainability
 EJ activities on the horizon at MassDEP
 Questions?
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3. WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE?
Environmental Justice is based on the principle that all
people have a right to be protected from environmental
hazards, and to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful
environment regardless of race, color, national origin,
income, or English language proficiency.
Environmental Justice is the equal protection and
meaningful involvement of all people and communities with
respect to the development, implementation, and
enforcement of energy, climate change and environmental
laws, regulations, and policies and the equitable distribution
of energy and environmental benefits and burdens. 3

4. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
POPULATIONS CRITERIA
 Income – median annual household income is at or
below 65 percent of the statewide median income for
Massachusetts ($70,954 based on US Census/ACS 2012-
2016);
 Minority Population - 25% or more of the residents
identify as a race other than white; and
 English Language Isolation – 25% or more of households
have no one over the age of 14 who speaks English only
or speaks English very well. 4

5. 2010 EJ POPULATIONS
(2010 U.S. CENSUS)
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6. MASSDEP EJ WEBPAGE
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7. MASSDEP EJ TEAM
 Meets Quarterly (4th Tuesday of the month)
 Representatives from all regions, bureaus, programs, and
offices makes up the EJ Team
 Opportunity to:
 Share EJ projects and activities
 Ask questions
 Hear about EJ activities from other agencies (nationally
and locally)
 Learn about EJ opportunities, grants, trainings, webinars,
etc.
 Opportunity to address EJ issues and problem solve
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8. MASSDEP EJ TEAM MISSION
To advise MassDEP Senior Leadership on how best to
ensure the equal protection and meaningful involvement of
all people residing in the Commonwealth with respect to
environmental protection and the equitable development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, and policies.
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9. MASSDEP EJ TEAM MEMBERS (BACKUPS)
Deneen Simpson, EJ Director
 COMM – Kate Kerrigan
 COMM – Michelle Waters-
Ekanem
 BPE – Ann Lowery
 BWR – Steve McCurdy
 BAW – Winnie Prendergast
 BWSC – Elizabeth Callahan
 CERO – Ning Chen (Joe
Bellino)
 ESF – Tim Dame
 ORS – Sandra Baird
 NERO – Marc LaPlante
(John D. Viola)
 SERO – Jen Viveiros
(Angela Gallagher)
 WERO – Elizabeth
Stinehart
 OADR – Bridget Munster
 OGC – Danah Tench (Rishi
Reddi)
 GIS – Brian Brodeur (Alice
Doyle) 9

10. LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
 Language Bank Volunteers consists of 36 MassDEP staff
with varying skill levels in 22 different languages
 PRF-63 – Foreign Language Interpretation and
Translation Services
 Communications Document aka Flag Document
 I Speak Poster (Limited English Proficiency Poster)
 Alternative Media Outlets (ethnic newspapers and radio
stations, local cable channels)
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11. COMMUNICATIONS DOCUMENT
AKA FLAG DOCUMENT
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12. I SPEAK POSTER
(FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT INDIVIDUALS)
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13. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
AND CLIMATE
o MassDEP is responsible for drafting regulations setting
statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits for 2020 mandated
by the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA)
o The new GWSA regulations promulgated in August 2017 will
positively benefit EJ Communities:
o 310 CMR 7.74(6)(h) requires the Department to conduct a
series of auctions for the years 2019- 2050 and to sell
allowances to be used by owners or operators of electricity
generating facilities to offset CO2 emissions.
o Proceeds from auctions will support programs or projects to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in environmental justice
communities.
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14. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
AND CLIMATE (CONT’D)
o Reducing GHG benefits EJ Communities by:
o Under RGGI and other clean energy programs MA power
plant CO2 emissions have declined more than 45% since
2005.
o Reduce air pollution (such as ozone, particulate matter)
that contributes to breathing difficulty and illness
o RGGI proceeds have also been allocated to programs that help
low-income homeowner’s replace defective or unsafe heating
equipment to respond to winter-heating emergencies.
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15. RGGI COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
MEETINGS
 RGGI /EJ Community Involvement Meetings
(Dartmouth & Springfield)
 Partnered with DOER
 Provide notice to community about meeting via
advocacy groups (as early as possible)
 Central location & convenient time (6:30pm -8:30pm)
 Translation of Fact Sheets (Spanish)
 Purpose of meeting EJ communities interested in how
EJ communities can benefit from RGGI proceeds. 15

16. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
AND CLIMATE (CONT’D)
MassDEP provides information to communities about the
MassSave Program which provides:
• A no-cost home energy assessment to identify the energy-
saving improvements right for your home
• Up to $2000 toward the cost of purchasing and installing
approved energy-saving measures
• Money-saving rebates when you install qualifying energy-
efficient equipment
MassSave Brochure (Residential):
http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/docs/dpl/boards/hi/props/mass-save-
brochure.pdf
MassSave Brochure (Municipality):
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/green-communities/eap/mass-
save-municipal-sector-sheet.pdf 16

17. MASSSAVE BROCHURE
(RESIDENTIAL)
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18. MASSSAVE BROCHURE
(MUNICIPAL)
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19. MASSSAVE WEBPAGE FOR
PLYMOUTH, MA
/
https://www.masssave.com
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20. GREEN & SUSTAINABLE CLEANUPS
The application of greener cleanup practices and activities can
help to eliminate or reduce, to the extend practicable, total
energy use, air pollution emissions, greenhouse gases, water use,
materials consumption, and ecosystem and water resources
impacts resulting from the performance of assessment and
remediation through energy efficiency, renewable energy use,
materials management, waste reduction, land management, and
ecosystem protection.
Contact:
Tom Potter, Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup
thomas.potter@state.ma.us
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/conduct-green-sustainable-
cleanups 20

21. GREEN SUSTAINABLE CLEANUP
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22. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
AND SUSTAINABILITY
 Collaboration MassDEP, EPA Region 1, DOER and Eversource at
Houses of Worship in environmental justice communities to assist
with energy efficiency;
 Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Municipal
Grants
 MassDEP accepts applications between early April and mid June
annually (deadline June 13, 2018)
 MassDEP SMRP Municipal Grant funding may be used to
improve local recycling, composting, reuse, and household
hazardous waste diversion programs
 Cities, towns, regional authorities, and certain non-profit
organizations that provide solid waste-related services to them
are eligible to apply
 Grant Information Webinars
https://www.mass.gov/how-to/sustainable-materials-recovery-
program-smrp-municipal-grants
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23. HOUSE OF WORSHIP
(GOD IS GREEN)
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24. SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
RECOVERY PROGRAM (SMRP)
MUNICIPAL GRANTS
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25. EJ ACTIVITIES ON THE HORIZON
AT MASSDEP
 Develop EJ Strategy pursuant to the 2017 EEA EJ Policy
and begin implementation
 EJ Training for MassDEP Technical Staff & Lawyers
 GIS (EJ Layers, EJ Viewer)
 EJ 101 (Partnering with US EPA Region 1)
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26. EJ ACTIVITIES ON THE HORIZON
AT MASSDEP (CONT’D)
 Continue conducting outreach to promote Environmental
Justice as an integral part of MassDEP’s everyday work
 Engage and encourage others to hold pre-application
meetings in EJ communities
 Evaluate possible grant solar opportunities for EJ
communities through the Dept of Energy Resource’s
SMART Program
 https://www.mass.gov/solar-massachusetts-renewable-target-
smart 26

27. MASS DEPT OF ENERGY
RESOURCES SMART PROGRAM
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28. AGENCY WEB PAGES
 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
 https://www.mass.gov/clean-energy-results-program
 https://www.mass.gov/climate-clean-energy-massdep
o Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
o https://www.mass.gov/guides/doer-divisions-and-services
o Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
• http://www.masscec.com/
o The Office of Technical Assistance and Technology
• https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-technical-assistance-and-
technology
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29. MASSDEP CONTACTS:
Deneen Simpson, EJ Director
Commissioner’s Office
One Winter Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02108
617 292-5906
deneen.simpson@state.ma.us
Danah Tench, Esq., Deputy General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
One Winter Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02108
617 574-6860
danah.tench@state.ma.us 29

30. ADDITIONAL CONTACTS
MassDEP Clean Energy Results Program (CERP)
Jamie Doucette - james.doucette@state.ma.us
(617) 292-5868
MassDEP Assistant Commissioner, Planning & Evaluation
Ann Lowery – ann.lowery@state.ma.us
(617) 292-5846
MassDOER Renewable Energy Program Coordinator
Kaitlin Kelly - kaitlin.kelly@state.ma.us
(617) 626-7343
Office of Technical Assistance & Technology (Climate Change
Resources for Business)
Tiffany Stogstrom – tiffany.strogstrom@state.ma.us
(617) 626-1086
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